“After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much so you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.” -  Veronica A. Shoffstall

When Wilda McLellan and Beverley Kolbe decided to set up WilBe Bloomin in 2004 they had one aim in mind. “We wanted to regain the spiritual and artistic freedom that we had somehow lost to the corporate world.”

And where better to do so than in a charming little flower boutique in the heart of Kensington Market?

Drawing on their experiences working for large companies, combined with a keen eye for colour, design and detail, Wilda and Beverley have now fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning their own business.

Building a sincere rapport with customers is key at WilBe Bloomin, and both women are as vibrant, welcoming and colourful as the flowers they sell.

The designs are simple, yet innovative – and always prepared with the utmost care. Indeed, it might be a bunch of daffodils for a neighbour or an intricate bouquet for a bride-to-be, but both are approached with the same creativity, enthusiasm and perfectionism. And rising before dawn most mornings to scurry the markets ensures the store is always bursting with the freshest blooms.

Wilda and Beverley believe that flowers can speak volumes where there are no words; Flowers have the power to bridge distances, fill voids, inspire and delight.

Far from a frivolous indulgence, flowers breath life into a home. “My mother always filled the house with flowers,” says Beverley. “She missed the South African climate, and so they helped her feel warm and alive through winter.” 

And whether flowers are gift for a loved one, or a gift to oneself, we needn’t wait for a special occasion to buy them, they insist.  “Life is a special occasion.”